diff --git a/internal/trie/node/decode.go b/internal/trie/node/decode.go
index 5cf64add9bb..cb6930bbee3 100644
--- a/internal/trie/node/decode.go
+++ b/internal/trie/node/decode.go
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@ func Decode(reader io.Reader) (n *Node, err error) {
 // find other values using the persistent database.
 func decodeBranch(reader io.Reader, header byte) (node *Node, err error) {
 	node = &Node{
+		Dirty:    true,
 		Children: make([]*Node, ChildrenCapacity),
 	}
 
@@ -120,8 +121,6 @@ func decodeBranch(reader io.Reader, header byte) (node *Node, err error) {
 		}
 	}
 
-	node.Dirty = true
-
 	return node, nil
 }